Description of Research Methodology
Due Week 2 and worth 150 points

In this assignment, you will write an essay about the researchmethods and ethical implications of a social psychology study. You willget information about the study from one of the entries in the SPARQ"Solutions Catalog", which is a web site maintained by StanfordUniversity at https://sparq.stanford.edu/solutions?&&.SPARQ is an acronym for "Social Psychological Answers to Real-worldQuestions." Each entry in the Solutions Catalog names a problem, andthen offers a solution to that problem, based on a research study insocial psychology.

To keep this assignment short and manageable, your only sources for this assignment should be from the SPARQ site and your course materials,such as your textbook. There is no need for you to cite any of thecourse materials. Therefore, no additional citations or references areneeded, beyond those from the SPARQ site.

In this exercise, you will choose one of the entries in the SPARCsite, and then write a two to three (2-3) page paper that meets thefollowing requirements.

1. Begin your paper with a short introductory statement that clearlyidentifies the article from the SPARQ site that you are using, as wellas the corresponding research article. Model your statement after thefollowing example:

• • • Please note that there are two APA “in-text citations” in thisexample. The first citation “(Wilson, n.d.)” is an in-text citation forthe SPARQ article. The SPARQ articles are undated, which means thatthere is no date of publication reported. The “n.d.” designation is anabbreviation for “no date”.

• • • The second citation “(Wilson & Linville, 1982)”, is an in-textcitation to the original research article. We are asking you to citethis paper for practice in using APA, but are not requiring you to readthe original paper. Normally, you should cite only those articles thatyou actually read and used, but we’re making an exception here for thepurposes of practice.

1. Briefly summarize the main details of your chosen social psychologyresearch study. Identify the main research method(s) used in the study(e.g., case study, experiment, observation, etc.).
2. Explain whether or not you believe the research methodology that theresearchers used in the study was the most appropriate for the study.Provide a rationale for your response.
3. Discuss whether or not you believe the research methodology used inthe study is the one (1) method that provides researchers with the mostinformation in general. Explain the main reasons why or why not.
4. Explain the major ethical implications of the selected study (e.g.,informed consent, debriefing, etc.). Describe the main reasons why youbelieve the study was or was not ethical. Provide a rationale for yourresponse.
5. The final section of your paper will be a reference section thatcontains a corresponding reference for both of the in-text citations inyour introductory statement (see point #1, above). In APA-stylecitations, in-text citations must match up with a reference in thereference section. You can model your reference section after thefollowing:

• • • These examples follow the APA conventions for an Internet article, and a professional journal article, respectively.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), withone-inch margins on all sides. Check with your professor for anyadditional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, thestudent’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.The cover page and the reference page are not included in the requiredassignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Describe research methods that are used for studying social psychology.
• Develop an increased understanding of the dynamic between society and individuals.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in social psychology.
• Write clearly and concisely about social psychology using proper grammar and mechanics.